Surf's up: Pounding waves of 7 to 10 feet are crashing at Brevard County beaches, and forecasters believe they may reach 12 feet in some locations.

"The biggest issue here is moderate beach erosion at high tides, and the rips that are associated with that surf," said Fred Johnson, a meteorologist at the National Weather Service station in Melbourne.

"Depending on the shape of the beach, it could be as high as 12 (feet). Based on the beach shape, you can concentrate the wave a little bit as is comes on shore," Johnson said.

As for swimming, Johnson has a piece of advice: Don't.

"Stay out of the water," he said.

Hazardous beach and boating conditions will continue through early Wednesday morning as large swells produce high seas, rough surf, and a high risk of rip currents.

The threat for beach erosion, along with minor to locally moderate coastal flooding, will continue. A cold front is forecast to move through Central Florida Wednesday bringing a likely chance for showers and isolated thunderstorms.

Offshore, a small craft advisory remains in effect through 4 p.m. Thursday. South to southwest winds should increase to 15 to 20 knots by Tuesday night, and large northeast swells will elevate open-ocean waves to 10 to 12 feet — creating hazardous conditions at inlets.